This invention relates to an electrical connector member of the type comprising a generally cylindrical shell member forming a housing for one or more electrical contacts and being provided with means for retaining the connector member on a mating connector member which carries two or more radial bayonet pins.
A large number of bayonet connectors are in use for many applications. Bayonet connectors comprise two or more radial pins on one connector member and two or more corresponding recesses or slots in the other connector member. Usually the recesses or slots have an axial portion, one end of which is open at the front edge of the connector member, and a circumferential portion communicating with the other end of the axial portion. Thus the coupling operation involves two movements, first axial push, followed by a partial rotation. The pins then move into the circumferential portion of the recesses or slots and are retained there against a resilient bias. This bias is usually directed in the axial direction and forces the pins into a relieved portion on the outer side of this section of the recess or slot. The uncoupling operation involves first a rotation and then axial movement to separate the connector members.
There exists a need in some circumstances to upgrade the operational requirements of existing bayonet connectors. If used, for example, to connect a motorcyclist's headphones to a transceiver on the cycle, a conventional bayonet connector can be dangerous in that it will not disconnect in an accident where the cyclist is thrown clear of his machine. There is thus a need for a simple and effective snatch disconnect mechanism. Since large numbers of bayonet connector members carrying the pins already exist, it would be highly desirable to achieve this while using the existing bayonet pin connector members.
There may also be instances where a simpler connection procedure is required avoiding the need for a push (usually against a spring) followed by a rotation.
British Patent Specification GB-PS No. 2063587A describes a quick release connector for use with bayonet pins. However, before uncoupling can take place, a degree of rotary movement is required in the mechanism. In particular, a rotary latch member (15) needs to be rotated around the shell member. This can cause problems in field use where dust and dirt can impede the mechanism, or where the shell is likely to be dented, and makes it potentially unreliable and hence possibly dangerous.
British Patent GB-PS No. 1403093 describes an alternative solution to the problem which does not have this disadvantage. In this instance a U-shaped spring clip or "spring link" is arranged in the surface of the shell member with its converging arms extending towards the end of the connector member. The bayonet pin of an associated connector member can pass between the converging ends of the spring clip to be retained within the U-shaped clip.
Fabrication of such a structure is difficult as the U-shaped clip requires the machining of a relatively complex shape in the periphery of the shell member. In practice therefore the shell member has to be formed by casting, and subsequent machining of the casting is difficult.
It would be desirable to provide a push/pull connector which solves the above problems in an effective manner.